User Research Development
Hunt Statement
We plan on researching the communication habits between high school students and teachers to develop a system that promotes a smoother dialog.
Intro
Our user research began by going out to two different high schools (one public, one private) in Squirrel Hill to ask students and teachers about their current forms of communication and their unfulfilled needs. We were trying to collect information that would allow us to identify issues both students and teachers deal with when trying to communicate on a daily basis.
Results
Initially we thought that many students, as well as teachers, would name homework assignments and grades as the number one informational aspect they would like to easily communicate with each other. However, after conducting the interviews we found an overwhelming majority of people stated that scheduling meetings was their biggest concern. From the teachers point of view, there was currently no easy way for them to compare their own schedule with all of their student’s schedules to find times that the entire class could meet (for an extra review session, for instance), or to find a time to meet a student one-on-one. From the students’ point of view, it is uncomfortable to approach a teacher to ask to set up a meeting outside of class, especially if the student’s schedule is not very accommodating due to extracurricular activities.
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